It is a deciduous plant, which loses its foliage between February and May. When the leaves have fallen and the bracts begin to fade, the plant should be pruned, leaving 5 and 10 cm stems, kept in a bright, sunny spot and watered sparingly.
The poinsettia has become the plant emblem of Christmas in many countries. Its meaning is given by its colours: the green of its leaves represents hope, prosperity, fertility, health and generosity, and the red of its bracts symbolises loveIt is a species native to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. It has naturalised in adjacent countries in South America, a small part of Africa and India, as well as in some Atlantic islands.
In its natural habitat it behaves as a perennial in rainy areas, and as a deciduous plant in areas with a very dry season.
It is widely distributed in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world, where it is widely used as an ornamental species, very suitable for covering or upholstering porches, entrances, walls, columns, fences, walls, pergolas, trellises or roofs.
It is easy to grow and fast-growing. It is not very demanding in terms of soil and watering, but it needs full sun exposure. The most important thing for this plant is pruning, as it tends to grow excessively, so it is necessary to remove dry or damaged branches, and to stimulate the formation of new stems, which are the ones that produce the flowers.
In its native areas it is widely used as a medicinal remedy, being used to combat respiratory ailments such as coughs, asthma, bronchitis, flu and whooping cough. It is also used to treat children's aphtheria, stomach pain, urinary tract disorders and acne. And the decoction of the leaves or roots to reduce fever, wash wounds and as a laxative.
Of all the species of the genus Bougainvillea, the best known and most widely used in gardening are Bougainvillea glabra and Bougainvillea spectabilis. But there are also numerous varieties and cultivars that offer a wide range of shapes and above all colouring of the flowers, which can be white, pink, yellow, red, magenta, purple, etc.
The name Bougainvillea was given to this genus in honour of the French navigator Louis de Bougainville, who dedicated his life to organising expeditions to the American continent.
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